Cursed Flames
by Lady Tsukino
Summary: The power of flames: A gift, or a curse? To young Rei, it may be both. However, what happens when a situation arises in which she's forced to use her powers?
1. Prologue

Cursed Flames: Chapter one

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even a piece of cheese. So please don't sue me, as all you'd get is… well… nothing.

"Rei!"

Rei looked up, her raven black hair falling slightly into her five year old face, beads of sweat trickling down her cheeks as she quickly fought to extinguish the flame she'd created. Finally, after a few seconds, all that was left were a few tendrils of smoke, and the little girl sat back, exhausted and drained.

"Rei, where are you?" The voice came again, louder this time, and the five year old hastened to her feet, brushing twigs and dirt quickly from her skirt, desperately trying to hide the last vestiges of her power.

"Ah, I'm over here, mama!" Rei called.

After a few moments, the sound of crunching leaves could be heard, and a woman with long black hair and vivid blue eyes looked down at her, smiling.

"Rei, have you been here all this time?" Avelyn asked.

Rei nodded her head fervently, smiling up at the woman in front of her. "I've been working on my powers, mama, just like you told me to." Pride shown in the little girls violet eyes, and Avelyn could do nothing but smile and pull the child close to her chest.

"Aye, my little one. You keep practicing your magic, and some day, you'll be the best fire keeper of the Hino's yet."

Rei smiled and held her mother close with chubby hands, sweat drying on her face.

"You really think so, mama?" She asked, her voice slightly muffled.

"I know so, child," her mother replied. "Now, let's get home, alright? Your father tells me he brought you something back from the city."

Rei's eyes lit up with delight.

"Papa's home!" She squealed.

Avelyn grinned slightly, pleased with her daughter's enthusiasm, and nodded once.

"That's why I came to find you. But remember, child." Here, her voice grew serious, and her eyes shimmered with hidden emotions. "Do not let him know that you've been practicing with fire. Not everybody in the world understands that magic can be used for good, and would try to kill you if they knew you could call fire to your use."

Rei nodded her head solemnly, her violet eyes unwavering.

Soon, Avelyn smiled once more and took her daughter's hand, leading her through the woods and back towards the small cottage in which they lived.

As they drew nearer, Avelyn frowned and slowed the pace down, before coming to a complete halt.

"Rei," she whispered. "I need you to stay here. Something doesn't feel right."

Rei's eyes shimmered slightly, and then went dull.

"Rei?" Avelyn looked down when her daughter didn't respond. "Rei!"

"If you go in there, you will die. You will die as father died." The sound that came out of Rei's mouth had the ringing quality of a prophecy, and for a moment Avelyn hesitated to move.

"Rei… are you saying your father is dead?" Avelyn's gaze hardened and she shook her head.

'Rei is merely a child. She can't be having visions yet, much less be giving out prophecies.' That settled, at least in her mind, she pushed the child into the cover of a bush, and headed off slowly to the cottage once more, leaving her child behind.

After awhile, Rei slowly sat up, her head spinning, a faint sense of unease growing within her.

"Mama?" She called softly. Standing up, she once more brushed dirt and leaves off of her. "Mama?" She called again. "Papa, are you there?"

As she looked in the direction of the cottage, Rei's sense of unease grew, and the five year old stopped, hesitating, before plunging on.

As she came to the door of the cottage, the eerie silence struck her, and she trembled slightly. Reaching for the handle of the door with a small, chubby hand, she paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts on one tiny spark of flame in her mind. When it was firmly placed, she proceeded to push the door open and take a step in.

Glancing around, the image of a small flame still firmly caught in her mind, she looked around the room, taking in small details: the front hall, with a set of stairs running along one wall to the upper part of the house, the hall way leading to the kitchen, branching off along the way and leading to the family room and living room, where a great fireplace was. Slowly, she walked up the stairs, looking around once, before stepping into one of the upstairs rooms. Instantly, red assaulted her senses, and she smiled slightly. This was her bedroom, and she loved it.

Stepping out of her bedroom, she walked the few steps across the hall, the soft carpet squishing under her toes as she walked.

As she stepped into her parents' bedroom, she paused, her eyes scanning the walls of the room, strung up with pictures of the three of them. Her tiny face scrunched up with tears, and she scrubbed them away angrily.

"They're fine," she assured herself out loud. "They just forgot to come out and get me is all." Nodding her head she stepped out of her parents' room and rushed back down the stairs.

"Mama! Papa!" She called out, ignoring her instincts to remain quiet and stealthy. "Mama, papa, where are you?"

Entering the kitchen, she looked around. Nothing seemed to be out of place; the pots and pans hung from drying racks, towels from the handles of drawers. Sun shone in through a small window directly above the sink, hitting a small crystal and reflecting brilliant rainbows all around the room. Frowning, Rei left the kitchen and moved down towards the living room.

Stepping into the small, albeit cozy, room, she looked around. Quilts hung from the walls, hand made by her mother, and upon seeing them, the five year old couldn't help but smiling slightly. She remembered sitting in her mothers lap while she'd sewn each individual square, before piecing them all together to form the masterpieces now hanging before her.

Immediately she turned and fled the room, running across the hall and into the family room, where she stopped dead, pushing one chubby fist against her mouth to keep from crying out.

Avelyn and Teijo Hino lay on the floor, eyes wide and unseeing. Alex's throat had been slashed open, and drying blood was congealed around the open wound and on the floor surrounding him. Avelyn's throat had been slit as well, but her skirts were bunched up around her waist, and even in her young age, Rei knew what had happened.

Tears coursing down her face, she dragged her beloved parents' bodies outside. Standing back, she pictured the flame in her mind once more, determined to give her parents due respect. The flame fully in her mind, she envisioned sending it to her parents' bodies, waiting for a spark to catch in their clothing. When it finally did, she sat back, sweat pouring down her face once more.

"Good bye, mama… Good bye, papa," she murmured quietly, tears coursing down her cheeks, dropping to the ground and turning the dirt beneath her feet a darker brown.

Suddenly, a rustling behind her caused the girl to spin around, black hair flying into her face.

"Witch!" Came a voice, low and dark. "Abomination!"

"Magic user!" Came another voice, feminine this time.

"She probably caused the deaths in the first place."

Shaking her head in denial, her eyes wide open with fear, Rei took a step back, her little beet making small marks on the ground where she'd stood.

"That's right, you little witch!" One of the people in the surrounding bushes called out. "Run away like the little coward you are!"

"No one needs your kind, anyways!" Came another voice.

"Begone with you now, witch child!"

Turning, Rei fled into the woods, tears streaming down her face, shaking her tiny body as she moved, denials coming quickly to her tongue, but leaving before she had a chance to say them.

'After all, who would believe a witch child?' she asked herself scornfully. 'Mama was right. People don't understand.'

Stopping where she was, she scrubbed tears from her face with chubby little hands.

"Maybe they're right," she said aloud. "Maybe magic really is bad."

She thought back to all the times she'd used it in the past: the very first time, she'd nearly burned down the house, as she'd been nearly three years old, and unable to control the power. Then there were the next few times, when she'd nearly downed a tree, burned down the forest, and then almost roasted a deer alive, in that order.

With a frown, she considered the words of her three accusers.

Were they right? Was she really a witch child?

Again she shook her head stubbornly, and continued on through the woods, heedless of the eyes that watched.

Thirteen years later…

Eighteen year old Rei Hino sat bolt upright on the pallet she'd been sleeping on, her long ebony colored hair hanging in clumps down her body.

'The same dream,' she thought to herself with a shudder. 'Will I ever be free of what happened all that long ago…?'

Yawning once, she stood up on shaky legs, moving over to the looking glass that hung on the wall. Sitting on the small chair in front of it, she picked up a brush and began work on combing through her hair, her mind trailing back to the last parts of what had happened.

After she'd run through the woods, she'd ended up in the middle of a dirt road, dazed and confused. Soon after, a traveling party had come upon her and picked her up, and unwittingly, she'd gone with them, answering their questions.

Once they heard her parents were dead, they immediately set about looking for the rest of her family. Seeing as both her parents had been only children, her rescuers soon realized that she had only one living relative left: Her grandfather from her mother's side. So, after letting Rei rest for a few days, they'd sent the child off to an unknown fate with her grandfather at the shrine.

Reflecting on it now, Rei realized it hadn't been all that bad growing up. A wry smile spread across her face as she recalled the first time she'd met the man she called "Grandfather."

A short, balding man with a wrinkled face, her first child like impression had been that he was one of the five dwarves in one of the fairy tales her mother used to tell her. And once he'd opened his mouth to greet her, the picture in her five year old head was complete.

He'd been such a kind man to her as she'd grown up through the years, teaching and encouraging her in all the ways of becoming a priestess. And through the thirteen years she'd been at the shrine, the power inside of her had laid dormant.

Well, there you have it. This is my first attempt at writing a Rei story, so… it's not great. And don't worry, Jaedite will enter soon enough. So. Review, please!


	2. Chapter 1: Meetings

Cursed Flames: Chapter two

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't think I even own my own soul. I believe that was claimed by somebody in payment for something else, so do you REALLY think I own Sailor Moon?

AN: First things first. As I read over the chapter, I realized I'd made a mistake in the murder scene. After calling Rei's father Teijo, I reverted to calling him the name I had originally labeled him as; Alex. So for any of you are confused… I don't blame you! Now, on with the story.

Rei yawned slightly as she stepped out of the shrine, her broom in hand, looking up at the cloudless sky above her.

'Another day, another set of chores to be done,' she told herself ruefully, walking slowly down the well worn path to the hall where the great fire burned.

Each day it was the same. She'd wake up in the morning and walk down the steps of the temple, walking past the hall, and resisting the urge to use her powers. And each day, she'd repeat the same words to keep herself from giving into temptation.

Today, however, it was different.

As she walked past it, something inside of her burned; a yearning, almost, for her to do something.

"No," she muttered quietly. "I won't use it. I won't!"

Still, the tugging kept on inside of her, urgent, more insistent than usual, and she frowned, walking over to the door and lightly pushing it open. As she did so, a strong wave of...something…washed over her, driving her to her knees, her violet eyes wide and staring.

Flashes ran through her mind, images of times and places, both past and present, and, she could only assume, future.

"_I love you, Rei. I'll never leave you."_

"_Jade… I love you too."_

"_Rei, help me!"_

"_I'm coming, Grandpa! Just hold on!"_

"_Witch child! Stupid, useless, child of a whore!" _

"_Mama! Papa! Where are you?"_

"_I'll always be here, Rei…"_

"Rei… Rei…Rei!"

A man's voice snapped her out of her spell and her eyes flew open abruptly.

"Urg…" was her intelligent response, and she groaned softly, moving to sit up slightly. "Where am I? What happened?"

"The fire," her grandfather said simply. "It calls to its children. I should have known that you'd be the one."

Rei glanced at him curiously, before a wave of nausea sent her keeling over, reaching for something, anything, and mercifully grabbing a chamber pot. Quickly bent over it, and soon the sounds of retching were heard, as Rei emptied the contents of her stomach into the pot.

After a few moments, she sat up, her face pale, her hair sticking to her forehead, and she collapsed back to the ground.

"You should have told me," her grandfather reprimanded gently.

Rei scowled, her pretty face scrunched up, turning her face away from him.

"It wouldn't have changed anything," she muttered lowly, unable to keep a trace of bitterness from her voice. "I won't use it again. It's what got my parents killed. Mother could use magic; father was killed for loving her."

"Ah." Her grandfather's eyes twinkled as he sat back, amusement written clearly on his face. "So that's what you think." Leaning forward, he put his hand on his knees, all amusement gone in an instant. "You need to get over it, Rei. That's not why your parents died. Your parents died because…" Abruptly he cut off and stood up, an aloof expression falling onto his features.

"Well, you'd better get to work, child." He said mildly. "There's a lot to be done." Turning, he started to walk off, and then stopped, turning his head to look at her over his shoulder. "Oh, and by the way. A young man stopped by, asking if he could help out. I told him to come back later, and he said he would. Seemed like a nice young man, he did. I trust that if he shows up, you'll treat him kindly." His eyes dared her to argue with him.

Lowering her eyes, she muttered a sort of acknowledgement under her breath, her eyes brimming with tears as he walked away without another word.

"You know, Grandpa," she murmured quietly. "And why you won't tell me, I'll never understand."

"Understand what?" The voice came from the doorway, and Rei's head shot up, her violet eyes narrowing as she looked to the speaker.

Long blonde hair framed a heart shaped face, sky blue eyes twinkling slightly as the girl looked in at her, a friendly smile on her face.

"Gomen, I didn't mean to disturb you," the girl said apologetically. "My name's Tsukino Usagi. I was just looking for--"

"She was looking for someone who runs the temple," a voice smoothly cut her off. A figure stepped into the room, hair as golden and perfect as what surely must be his sisters, blue eyes bemused as he gently rustled Usagi's hair. "I'm Tsukino Jadeite, Jade for short, and this lovely young thing here is my sister."

Something in Rei's mind sparked as she heard the name Jade, but as she grabbed frantically for the strand of thought, it moved further and further away. Frustrated, she let it go with a shake of her head, and stood up.

"Yes. Of course. Grandfather told me about you. Hino Rei at your service." She made an elaborate bow, and stood back up, to catch Jadeite's smirk, and Usagi's wide eyed stare, her hands clamped over her mouth. Frowning, she tilted her head to one side.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked, a frown marring her face.

"Well, I don't recall ever asking for indecent exposure, Hino-san, but from you, I'm definitely not objecting," Jadeite commented, a roguish smile on his face.

The reaction was instantaneous. Rei suddenly realized that, as she'd bowed down, her robes had risen in the back, exposing her shift and underclothing.

Turning beet red, she quickly fixed her robes, and sent a scathing glare in Jade's direction.

"Baka," she muttered darkly under her breath.

"What?" He asked innocently, putting up his hands in an act of surrender. "It certainly wasn't my fault that you decided to give us a little show."

"Why you…!" Rei took a menacing step forwards, her eyes alive with anger. Suddenly she stopped short as an image of a flame grew in her head, and her hand began to burn with the effects of calling the power to her.

"Um, Rei-san? Are you alright?" Usagi took a timid step towards the girl, noticing the far off look that had grown in her eyes.

"Huh? Oh. I'm fine." Rei quickly snapped out of it, and let her hand fall back down to her side, grimacing as her hand quickly cooled back to normal.

"Yeah. It's obviously normal for her to be shooting sparks one moment, and off in La La land the next," Jadeite smirked.

Usagi threw him a glare to silence him, and turned worried eyes back on Rei. "You're sure you're alright?" She questioned once more.

"I'm fine!" Rei snapped, taking a step back. "You needed someone who runs the temple? Well, here I am. However, it would seem that if you were looking for a job, I'd have to get my grandfather; you certainly haven't made a good impression on me."

Jade looked taken aback for a moment, and then a lopsided grin spread across his face. "Mm. Temper, temper, Hino-san. I think I might like working with you." He let a slow smirk creep over his face before turning around and walking out the doorway, leaving Usagi and Rei alone together.

"I'm sorry," Rei said simply.

"Sorry? Whatever for?" Usagi asked in confusion.

"That you have to live with someone as stubborn and pig headed as him." Rei nodded her head towards the doorway which Jadeite had just exited.

"Oh, he's not so bad, Rei-san. Really. And besides… I think he likes you." Her eyes glittered as she said this, and Rei sat back with a sharp, indrawn breath.

"What are you talking about?" She snapped. "He obviously doesn't like me; he was making fun of me. And even if he did like me, which he doesn't, he's a total jerk, and--"

"Are you quite done?" Usagi interrupted, a smirk growing on her face. "I happen to know my brother; we are twins, after all. He never teases people like that, ever. And besides…" Usagi's eyes grew starry here. "That's exactly how Mamo-chan and I first acted, before we got together."

Rei rolled her eyes. "I don't even want to know."

Usagi just grinned, moving to the door. "You'll see. Besides… there's something between you two. I can feel it in here." She tapped her heart, and with a wink skipped out the door.

"Yeah, there's something between us," Rei called out. "And I'd like it to be an ocean!"

The only reply she got in reply was the sound of Usagi's laughter, fading into the distance.

Well, that took longer than I expected it too, and I'm REALLY sorry for it. Oh, and I promise there won't be any Usagi and Mamoru in this one… it is strictly Rei and Jadeite. So, enjoy, and let me know what you think! Much love!

Lady Tsukino


End file.
